Post-base.



A. P. HOLLINGSWORTH.

POST BASE.

v APPLICATION FILED JULY I3. |917. Y L. I Patented sept; 10, 1918. 9507.1.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY @Nif i3 STTE entre.,

POST-BASE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

'Patented sept. io, reis.

Application led July 13, 1917. Serial No. 180,429.

T o 117i 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED P. HOLLINGS- WORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clarkston, in the county of Asotin and State of Vashington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Post- Bases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to poles and posts, and more especially to the bases therefor; and the object of the same is to produce a reinforced concrete base adapted to be seated in and to rise slightly above the ground, and having means for detachably connecting a post or pole therewith above the ground without interrupting the position of the base or altering its parts.

This and other objects are carried out by the construction hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of this post complete, and asection of the ground into which this base is inserted.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation the post removed, showing the parts before the cement is applied. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the engagement between the upper end or bend of one arch and the lower end or bend of one stirrup.

In the drawings I have used the letter P to indicate a post. rIhis may be a fencepost, round, square, triangular, or of other shape and of appropriate size and height to carry fence wires as usual; or it may be extended into a pole such as those which carry electric light and telephone wires-in fact I do not wish to be limited strictly to the generally accepted meaning of the word post where I use that term throughout this specification. I have also used the letter C to designate cement or other plastic which is molded around the metallic reinforcing parts of the base, and I claim no novelty for the parts already mentioned. have not thought it necessary to show fence wires, nor cross trees if the element P be a pole. Nor do I consider it necessary to go into detail as to the manner of molding the cement around the reinforcing elements of the base.

Coming now to al specific description of details, said reinforcing elements are made usually of stout wire or small-sized metal rods, and for a post of about average size of the base with vafterward as will be approximately four in number. Each has an arch whose legs 1 contact with and are preferably twisted into engagement with the companion legs of the adjacent arch, while its upper end is given a bend 2 of ample size as shown. The lower extremities of the legs are turned laterally into feet 3 which may be engaged with each other, and around the twisted portions are bands as indicated at Ll--there being one or two,`or three of these according to the length of the base and the depth it is expected to pass into the ground. There may be also other bands 5 and 6 around the connected legs above the ground level as seen in Fig. 1, but these will be applied explained below. The cement is now molded around the lower portion of this reinforcing structure, and it may have any exterior configuration desired.

Within each bend 2 is disposed a filler 10 of appropriate material, and the periphery of this filler is of about the same curvature as that of the bend. It may be well to have the elements in pairs, and I prefer ordinarily to use four arches. Accordingly the iillers will stand opposite each other, and bolts 11 may be passed transversely through the post and through the opposite fillers. Stirrups 12 `have arms at their upper ends attached to the post as seen at 13, and their bends 1A pass down under the bolts outside the fillers. Next outside the stirrups are washers 15 which underlie the head and nut of the bolt as will be clear. If there are four arches and two bolts, the bolts will stand at different heights, or m other words, the bends of two opposite arches will not rise quite as high as the bends of the other two arches-this is for the purpose of permitting the Shanks of the bolts to pass each other within the post. If there are six arches, appropriate disposition of the bolts must be made. The bands 5 and 6 are preferably applied last and tightened at their meeting ends in any appropriate manner, either by separate devices or by engaging them with each other or perhaps by welding their ends together. Also where I have spoken of twisting the wire legs of the arches together, they might be welded or otherwise connected.

A post base of this character is seated in the ground with the upper portion of the cement C a little above the level of the earth so' that the lower end of the post rests squarely thereon and is above the point where moisture on the earth may reach it. On the contrary, `water running down the post will be shed off the cement and away from the end of the wooden post, and the latter will therefore not become soaked and rotted. I have found that a post so connected with its base is held with a great degree of firmness, and will withstand strains incident to thev fencing or wind and storm in case it is a pole. Vhen it is desired to remove the pole from the base, the several bolts are withdrawn and the lower ends of the stirrups bent outward so as to free the fillers; the latter* are now removed from the bends of the arches,.then the bands 5 and 6 are taken off' and finally the entire post P may be lifted entirely out of place. A reversal of this operation restores the post, and therefore if the latter may have 'become injured or worn at some other point lthan its lower end, it can be readily replaced without dislodging the base where it is seated irmlyin the ground.

If, however the post has become a little defective or rotted at its extreme lower end, the utility An inch or half inch at the lower end of the post can be sawed off. Then when the post is replaced in the structure the bolt holes .will of course be lower than the position of the bolts l1 as shown in Fig. l, or in other words the bolt holes will stand respectively lower with relation to the bends 2 of the arches. New fillers l0 are now necessary and must'be provided, and if they are of plastic material they can easily be put in place whatever the position of the bends with respect to the bolts 1l. The latter are of my invention is at once seen.

inserted and the stirrups and washers' and nuts applied as described above.

I have not considered it necessary to illustrate how a post or hole which is rotted away at or beneath the level of the earth may be mounted on a base of this character. The pole is sawed off just above the surface and jacked up-being probablyraised a little from the ground and held there by suitably means. Then the stump is dug out, leaving quite an excavation. Then the metal members above described, and possibly others, are attachedto the butt of the post in the manner already set forth, and permitted to extend down into the excavation. The pole and attachments are then let down to the proper position, and the excavation filled with cement in liquid form, which of course soon sets around the reinforcing elements. Y

Vhat is claimed as new is The herein described post base comprising a reinforced concrete structure whose reinforcing elements are metal arches with their legs partly' embedded in the concrete and their upper ends making gentle bends opposite each other in pairs, fillers within said bends, bolts passing through pairs of fillers and adapted to pass through a wooden post rups whose bends pass under the bolts and whose arms are adapted to be secured to the post, washers outside thevbends of the stirrups and under the headsand nuts of the bolts, and bands around the exposed portion of the reinforcing elements beneath said stirrups.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALFRED P. HOLLINGSWORTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

between them, U-shaped stir- 

